Are you officially a Graduate when you finish week 9 run 3 or when you eventually reach 5k?

[Fentaz42]

At the moment I'm just concentrating on finishing all the runs up to week 9 run 3 - I'm nowhere near 5k!

[Hidden]

I would say that most people don't do 5k by the end of w9r3, but they are definitely graduates. The fact that you can run for 30 mins is what you are aiming for, the 5k will come in good time.

So as soon as you've done your 3 rd week9 run, that is it, you've done it.

[Fentaz42 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for clearing that up for me MathewW and dottiemay I was hoping that was the case!

Happy running!

[dottiemay Graduate]

Graduation is the end of week 9 - running for 30 minutes. 5k is a nice round figure that sounds good in the title - C230mins doesn't have quite the same ring to it! - and most graduates use it as the next target.

So once you complete the programme i.e. Wk 9 Run 3 - you are a Graduate!

[Hidden]

Agree with the above

[ju-ju- Graduate]

I think it's more about duration and stamina... You are training your mind too... Speed comes later. It took me ages to nail 5k in 30 minutes and that nearly finished me off!!!!

[Fentaz42 Graduate in reply to ju-ju-]

Thanks everyone for your input. Juicyju, I've just read your most recent post and I have to tell you it's really inspiring! I can't wait to be at that point of fitness of running for an hour!

[Pearsey]

If you listen to Laura throughout the 0-5k pods she tells you to go at your own pace and in week 9 to not outpace yourself (or words to that effect) so that you finish the 5k. At no point are you told to run faster, that completing 5k in 30 minutes is your goal. If you do-then great, but some of us will be slower than others and there is no shame in that. Timing your running is not part of the course. It is about getting you moving, and giving to a goal of 5k.

Keep on Running

[dottiemay Graduate]

I didn't mean to sound like I meant 5k in 30 minutes is the next goal - rather, aiming to run 5k in whatever time is what most of us set as our next target after graduating. I can now run 10k but I can't run 5k in 30 minutes and I'm not going to for some time yet, I don't think.

[Fentaz42 Graduate in reply to dottiemay]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I know there's other podcasts after this one like Stepping Stones, and I'll look into them when I've finished Kaura's podcasts. Thanks for all your input everyone, it's definitely made things more clearer

Happy Running!

[twigg]

When you do 30 mins I have finished this morning but am a bit slow takes me about 40 mins to do 5k at the moment so am working on speed and stamina

[Yellowband Graduate]

Well done, I definitely think that maintaining the programme to the end of week 9 is what it is all about. I am in the same situation as you ( and many others), if I speeded up the injuries would speed up, not concerned about the actual 5K, focussing on what I have achieved. Please do the same.

[nowster Graduate in reply to Yellowband]

This post is from 8 years ago. Very few of the people who replied to it back then are still around on the forum today.